Hymns

The Lord, the Judge, his churches warns

by Isaac Watts·1719·Meter 8.8.8.8 (LM)

Based on Ps 50

1

The Lord, the Judge, his churches warns,
Let hypocrites attend and fear,
Who place their hope in rites and forms,
But make not faith nor love their care.

2

Vile wretches dare rehearse his name
With lips of falsehood and deceit;
A friend or brother they defame,
And soothe and flatter those they hate.

3

They watch to do their neighbors wrong,
Yet dare to seek their Maker's face;
They take his cov'nant on their tongue,
But break his laws, abuse his grace.

4

To heav'n they lift their hands unclean,
Defiled with lust, defiled with blood;
By night they practise every sin,
By day their mouths draw near to God.

5

And while his judgments long delay,
They grow secure and sin the more;
They think he sleeps as well as they,
And put far off the dreadful hour.

6

O dreadful hour! when God draws near
And sets their crimes before their eyes!
His wrath their guilty souls shall tear,
And no deliv'rer dare to rise.

Formal worshipGodHypocrites and hypocrisyJudgmentObedience